Eli5 how does coal removes bad odors like fish or dried fruits

Question

Eli5 how does coal removes bad odors like fish or dried fruits

In: 3

Answer 1

Odors are caused by chemicals (VOC’s, Volatile Organic Chemicals). Coal is made of carbon

Carbon LOVES to form chemical bonds with other elements. When the VOC’s that make a smell interact with the carbon, the elements in the VOC form a chemical bond to the carbon, so they aren’t floating around in the air anymore for you to smell them.